I am having a problem with my trailer brakes not working, or even being seen by my brake controller. I just checked over all the wiring on my truck and controller and everything is working as it should be, so it has to be something with the trailer side. The trailer is an Anderson and is only 1 year old, i've never used the brakes before, and just got my f250 and wanted to use them, so I purchased the odyssey brake controller and the adapter wire to plug into the stock harness since the truck is prewired.

What should I look for to try and find the problem on the trailer side? All the lights work and always have, just the trailer brakes are not working right now.

Thanks for any help, I appreciate it!

 

First thing I'd do is test each of the truck plug connections to see if you have voltage (12 VDC) for each thing and it is going to the correct place on the trailer plug. Make sure you have a ground pin that is being used. DO NOT RELY ON THE HITCH BALL FOR YOUR GROUND!!

 

Already did all that, so I know it's not the truck, see this thread for details:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...uper-duty.html

 

Have you hooked up trailer to a different truck? Most often, there has been a ground problem with the trailers. Disconnect trailer battery hook ohmeter to brake wire (on trailer) and ground. You should show some resistance. If open curcuit, you found your problem.

 

Have you tried putting a good battery in trailer and pulling the emergency brake cable to see if brakes come on? I'm pretty sure you need a good charged battery in trailer for brakes to work correctly.

 

Check Here: http://www.championtrailers.com/brka...ake_wiring_dia

 

Has your brake controller worked on another trailer? Possibly it is hooked up wrong? If that's not the case I'd check all the connection ot the wheels, I see alot of trailer manufactureres use scotchlocks to make splices in wiring and they are usually just good for shorting out

 

I was wondering about the wiring too. I have a trailer that I leave outside, that I recently renovated. It was amazing how bad the corrosion was in the splices...

 

Yeah, about 6 months ago my buddy went racin with me and we used his '04 F350 and he has a brake controller in his and it didn't work either, but at that time we just assumed maybe it was his brake controller since he'd never used it before (the previous owner had had it installed). I double checked over everything again in the truck last with the controller hooked up and a buddy sliding the manual lever on it and everything is definately working in the truck. We found the wiring for the brakes on the trailer, I just have to trace it now and find where it's cut or corroded, cuz that's gotta be it, just gotta figure out how to safely jack the trailer up so I can get under it.

 

No, I have not, but when I talked to the place I bought it from yesterday, they confirmed that the battery is only for the emergency breakaway feature and does not even need to be there for the brakes to work and that it needs to be maintained seperately that the tow vehicle will not charge it.

 

Well, putting a battery in it would be a very quick way to confirm that it's the trailer brake wiring that's bad. Pull emerg. cable with battery in and the brakes SHOULD lock! --- BUT, reading what you just posted kinda confirms it's the trailer wiring...two different vehicles and the trai;er brakes don't work = bad trailer wiring.

 

Yeah, i'll probably double check first too by puttin my jump box on the batt too give it some juice. But you know what, now that I come to think of it, are you supposed to hear anything when the brakes engage, cuz even the first day I brought the trailer home, before I put a clip on the breakaway cord, I pulled it out to wrap it through and nothing happened. I'm really gonna be pissed if I find no wires cut or corroded and it's like wired wrong or something and then I gotta figure out how to rewire it!

 

You didn't read my link did you?

http://www.championtrailers.com/brk...rake_wiring_dia

They do make a noise.

 

The way I diagnose my trailer break problems is with a simple volt meter, even the kind with the on off light will do. Start at plug on your truck and check for voltage working your way back towards the axles. I used to start at the axles and work forward, but most of the time it has been a wire connection problem near the front. I've even seen crimp style connectors that looked good but were never crimped.

 

Nah, I didn't read it yet, I had opened it and bookmarked it to go back and read it later when I go to work on it, can't do nothin today, it's nasty weather outside. Hopefully tomorrow.